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AUGUSTA – The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry’s Maine Forest Service (MFS), and 211 Maine remind residents and visitors to protect themselves from browntail moth hairs this fall.
Maine’s Department of Health and Human Services has adopted amendments to 10-144 CMR Chapter 265, Substance Use Testing For The Workplace Rule.
The Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, Public Law 118-83, Division B, Title I § 105, EBT Benefit Fraud Prevention Requirements will expire December 20, 2024. The Department proposes to update Section 777-4 of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Rules consistent with the end of the federal authorization for replacement of EBT benefits stolen through card skimming, card cloning, or similar fraudulent methods.
MaineCare Rule #309A - DEL Updates
The adopted rule updated Section 2, APPLICATION PROCESS, consistent with a legislative change to 22 M.R.S. § 3174-LLL made by P.L. 2023, ch. 412. Effective retroactive to July 1, 2024, individuals who are enrolled in Medicaid and/or Medicare Buy-In (MSP), who are eligible for Medicare Part D, and meet the income criteria in Section 2.2, are deemed to be eligible for and enrolled in DEL. These individuals do not need to file a separate application.
In addition, the adopted rule effectuates the following changes:
The adopted rule effectuates changes to Chapter IV of the Public Assistance Manual Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) consistent with a legislative change to 22 M.R.S. § 3762 made by P.L. 2023, Ch. 29, An Act to Improve Family Economic Security Under the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Program.
The adopted rule updated Chapter IV, B, INCOME DISREGARDS as follows:
Earlier this fall, MaineCare with its vendor Mercer, conducted a review of provisionally certified provider cost reports for the CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration. We used provider responses, in addition to other information, to create draft rate models for the services as part of the rate determination process*. We outlined this process during our kick-off meeting with providers on September 25, 2023.
As previously noticed, MaineCare and its vendor are hosting several engagement sessions with interested parties to obtain important feedback as part of the rate determination process that was initiated in June of 2024, for certain HCBS services.
Quarter 3 Updates
The Department has retroactively updated the Physician Drug Rates effective July 1, 2024, in alignment with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) quarterly rate update. These new rates were implemented for billing on September 25, 2024.
Oct 10, 2024
The Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) joined Governor Janet Mills and U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, on September 27 for a panel discussion about building resilience through human connection.
In January of 2023, as part of its reimbursement reform and rate determination priorities, the Department initiated a Rate Determination Process* for Section 67, Nursing Facility Services.